All previous tourism records are going to be beaten in Majorca over the course of this month, according to the industry.
Today, for example, Palma airport handled 176,000 passengers, the highest number of passengers in the history of Son Sant Joan. Hotels, restaurants, shops and other parts of the non-hotel complementary sector are all braced for a manic month.
Industry and hotelier associations suggest that most of the chief resorts are set to have their best July on record. This means Alcudia, Can Picafort, Playa de Muro and Pollensa in the north; Cala Ratjada, and Cala d'Or in the east; Palmanova, Magalluf, Paguera, Santa Ponsa, Playa de Palma and Colonia Sant Jordi in the south. Hotel occupancy will be greater than ever, as will be the rental of holiday lets.
Month by month, Palma airport is breaking records this year. Tomorrow (3 July), Son Sant Joan will handle some 158,552 passengers, more than the busiest day of 2015 which was 16 August when 153,925 passengers passed through the airport. Around four million passengers are expected over the course of this month, with even more traffic in August as the season reaches its peak.
Average hotel occupancy across the island is 95 per cent this month and 88 in Palma, although some hotels are fully booked and holidaymakers are being diverted to other hotels in order to avoid problems of overbooking.
Although, as the Bulletin reported last week, there are still some extremely cheap flights available from the UK to Palma and that could lead to an overbooking problem in the mid-term. In Playa de Palma, Alcudia, Can Picafort, Palmanova and Magalluf, hotel occupancy is between four and six points higher than during July last year.
Restaurants and bars are reporting a significant increase in business as are the large supermarkets in the main resorts. These are reaping the benefits of the holiday rental sector, which the government has yet to regulate and control. The hire-car sector is struggling to meet demand, which is far greater than expected. The island’s marinas and yachts clubs are also enjoying a hectic month. So, few, if any, offers are going to be found in travel agents across Europe for Majorca this summer. Late bookers are going to have to pay the price for not having booked earlier.
Last year’s attack on the beach in Tunisia has led to a 21 per cent drop in tourists this year while the recent attacks in Turkey and ongoing instability elsewhere, such as Egypt, are continuing to divert holidaymakers to Spain and to the Balearics in particular. Even cruise ships are now avoiding possible danger areas.